Lily vs Willow Who Will Win the James?
by A. Lee
Summary: Lily Evans and James Potter just might cross the social breaches and get together ... but not if one Willow Rowan can help it. *Complete*
1. They Meet

Story 15  
  
Lily/James fic. Hey, I believe all HP fanfic writers should attempt to write at least one of these sometime in their life. I don't think its says anywhere in the book that her name is Lily Evans, but lets just say it is, since that's what everyone else says in their fanfics.  
  
   
  
Lily Evans frowned. Tonight, the Christmas Ball would take place. Everyone had stayed over Christmas vacation for it. She still didn't have a date.  
  
She looked in the mirror. It wasn't that she was ugly. She was slender, with a willowy figure, and long chestnut brown hair and dark green- blue eyes. She had blossomed into womanhood, and she tastefully considered herself okay-looking.  
  
It wasn't that she was stupid. In fact, she was quite smart. She had been a prefect last year, and this year in Sixth Year, she was a prefect as well. She got high scores, though not top scores, and she was clever enough.  
  
No, it was because she had no friends. The only people who even remotely noticed her were Molly Mae, Regina Jorkins, and Leila Retier.  
  
Molly was the Gryffindor "mother." She was caring and kind to everybody, like a regular little mother hen. She would be going with Arthur Weasley. They were practically engaged. They had had crushes on each other since First Year, and had started going out in Fourth Year. Ever since then, they'd been all kisses and hugs, and had never broken up once. It was very surprising.  
  
Regina was the regular sweet-and-innocent of Gryffindor. She was nice, kind, and sweet, the perfect antithesis of her maliciously gossiping twin sister Bertha. She was going to the Christmas Ball with Severus Snape, ignoring everyone's protests. He's very sweet underneath, she insisted. He's loving past the exterior, she explained. The only one who supported her was her slightly overprotective twin sister Bertha, who had begun defending her after realizing that convincing her otherwise was impossible.  
  
Leila was in Lily's dorm. Leila was shy, and timid, and very nice. She and Lily often paired off for projects that required partners, because they were always the ones never picked. Leila excelled in Herbology, though she wasn't very good in Transfiguration or Potions. She was going to the ball with sweet Frank Longbottom, who had asked her. She had been positively thrilled, for she had a crush on him for a very long time.  
  
Lily sighed. So only she was left without someone to go with. To go solo would have been mortifying. To ask Molly for help would have been just as much. Yet to stay home was to yell out loud that she had no one to go with. Oh well. It's just a ball.  
  
~*~  
  
James Potter ran his hand through his hair. "What do I do?" he demanded.  
  
His friends just stared at him.  
  
"You don't have a date?" Peter Pettigrew almost squeaked in shock.  
  
James glared. "That's what I said!"  
  
Sirius Black spoke. "Let me get this straight. Willow dumped you, so you no longer have a date."  
  
"Yes," James said.  
  
Remus Lupin frowned. "Why did she dump you?"  
  
"She's going with Vincent Crabbe," he said, disgustedly. "She decided that he was nice and everything."  
  
"So what are you going to do?" Sirius asked.  
  
"Isn't it obvious?" James asked. "Willow wants to make me jealous, so I'm going to make her jealous. I'm going to go out with a hot girl and have a good time and make her green with envy."  
  
"Who?" Remus asked logically.  
  
"Avila."  
  
"She's my date," Sirius said rather proudly.  
  
"Florence."  
  
"Going with Cornelius."  
  
"Rowena."  
  
"Amos."  
  
"Cassiopeia."  
  
"Me," Remus said sheepishly.  
  
"Regina."  
  
"Severus." A sputtering cough was heard at this point.  
  
"Narcissa."  
  
"Lucius." This was said in disdain.  
  
"Arabella."  
  
"Mundungus."  
  
"Meralina."  
  
"Me," Peter said quietly.  
  
"Good job," Sirius complimented.  
  
"Who is left?" James growled.  
  
At this moment, a creaking door was heard in the Girls' Dormitories. They all froze. A pattering of steps was heard as someone walked into the Common Room.  
  
"I wonder who that is," Remus commented. "Its too early for anyone to be up."  
  
Giving each other glances, they crept downstairs, and peered around the banister to see … Lily Evans, reading a book; snug in the big armchair by the fire the House-Elves had started.  
  
"She would do," Peter commented.  
  
"She has a nice figure," Sirius noted.  
  
"She has an okay face and pretty eyes," Remus said.  
  
"She has top scores," Peter remembered.  
  
"But it'd take convincing to get her to go the ball with you," Sirius challenged.  
  
"That's easy," James said. Slowly, he sauntered down the stairs. He stopped by the armchair and waited.  
  
Ever so slowly, Lily brought her eyes up. Green met Blue-green. Sparks flew. Fireworks crackled. This only lasted for a moment, before Lily quickly, shyly, withdrew her eyes. James snapped out of his reverie.  
  
He suddenly lost his voice. He forgot what he was going to say. Oh, yes. He was going to ask her out. "Umm. Uh … do you want to go to the Christmas Ball with me tonight?"  
  
The world ended for Lily. James Potter, one of the cleverest, cutest, most popular boys in school had just asked she, Lily Evans, to the Christmas Ball. Almost of their own accord, her lips moved. "I'd love to," she said breathlessly.  
  
James smiled. He was in a daze all the way back to his room. As soon as he got there, his friends began guffawing. He gave them a sharp look. "What's so funny?"  
  
"I think James is in love," Sirius said in a singsong voice.  
  
James sputtered. "Excuse me?"  
  
"Umm……… Er………… Uh……………Will you go to the ball with me?" Remus imitated.  
  
James glared. "Do you have something to say?"  
  
"Only that Prongs has been bitten by the love bug." Even Peter had begun teasing him.  
  
James only glared. "One more word and you'll regret it." So saying, he stumbled back into bed and fell asleep.  
  
 ~*~  
  
James stood nervously. He had told her that he would wait for her by the Girls' Dormitory stairs at five, though the ball didn't start until five-thirty. Around four, he had looked around to make sure she remembered, and she had been nowhere to be seen. His stomach clenched nervously. If Lily completely forgot … or if she didn't bother to dress up, he would be the laughingstock of the school. He would never be able to live it down, not with Lucius and Severus behind his back, and Remus, Sirius, and Peter openly teasing.  
  
He turned away and looked toward the fire. He smiled a small half- smile. He was getting so silly over a Sixth-Year date. And it wasn't even officially a date. All he was trying to do was make Willow jealous.  
  
At the mention of Willow, he sighed. His eyes remembered her chocolate brown tresses that fell in curls around her face. Her forest green eyes had enchanted him. Her wonderful figure had enthralled him. A soft sigh escaped his lips.  
  
"James?" a soft voice said behind him. "I'm ready."  
  
Slowly, he turned around.  
  
 ~*~  
  
Lily bit her lip nervously. It was three o'clock, and for some reason, she had gotten an urge to come upstairs and prepare for the ball earlier. Slowly, she contemplated what to do. Finally, she smiled. She would take a shower first. Not one of those baths … they made her want to stay in there forever, and she didn't have time.  
  
As she relaxed in the just warm enough magical shower, the golden flecks of water poured over her skin and made her shiver, as her skin magically became soft. Her eyes closed as her hair luxuriously cleaned itself in the golden water, and the silver soap magically lathered her hair like it was made to.  
  
When she felt just perfect, she slipped on her white robe and stepped outside. With surprise, she looked at the clock. She had showered for thirty minutes. She knew she still had an hour-and-a-half left, but still …  
  
As she finished drying herself in the fluffy towel, she slipped on her dress robes. They were a light aqua color, decorated with moving pictures of dolphins, mermaids, and coral. Of course mermaids didn't really look like that, but she liked this robe anyways. She bought it the summer before on impulse, and she was glad she had.  
  
Slowly, she admired herself in the mirror. Her dress flowed down to past her knees, and just barely stopped from trailing on the floor. As she slipped on her high heels, she smiled. Now, she wouldn't seem so short, and she wouldn't have to worry about her dress robes getting dirty. The dress flowed like the water it resembled, and the pictures were muted, showing only to give her class.  
  
Next, she worked on her hair in despair. Her chestnut brown hair would not be pinned up. Sighing, she finally decided on what to do. Combing her hair out with a bewitched brush, she carefully made sure it was smooth and soft, and put on some Anti-tangle Potion that was barely noticeable. She then pinned her hair back on one side with a dark blue- green comb etched with seashells on it.  
  
She admired the effect in her mirror. She looked at the clock in astonishment. It was four-thirty already. It was at this time, that her dorm-mates began drifting into the room. Molly Mae came in first, her dark red-auburn hair specked with white snowflakes, her dark coat-robes covered with snow. Her eyes widened with shock when she saw Lily.  
  
Regina Jorkins came in next. Her pale blonde hair and blue eyes were sparkled with excitement, and Lily knew immediately that she had been talking with Severus. Her animated smile only widened when she saw Lily.  
  
Leila Retier came in after Regina. A green headband pulled her dark black hair back, and her eyes shone with pleasured surprise at Lily's getup. She smiled softly, and moved to her own bed, to get ready for the dance as well.  
  
Willow Rowan was, of course, last. Lily winced. Although the three nicest girls in Gryffindor were in her dorm, the malicious Willow was as well. Her chocolate brown hair dangling down her back like free-falling waves signified that she had been flirting. Her expression was haughty. "What are you doing dressing up like that when no one's asked you to the Christmas Ball yet?" she asked malevolently.  
  
Molly Mae looked taken aback. "You don't know that," she accused.  
  
"I have my information from my spies, girls. I'm never wrong," she sniffed. "You should really learn some lessons from me. I'm going to the Christmas Ball with Vincent Crabbe, so that Goyle person, Lucius Malfoy, and Severus Snape will start noticing me. And trust me, Regina; you won't keep hold of Severus for long. Then, I've got James wrapped around my finger. He doesn't have a date, you know. He's just found out that I wasn't planning on going to the Christmas Ball with him, and he doesn't have time to get another date."  
  
Leila glared. "You better not spout any of this nonsense in front of me."  
  
Lily's stomach only sank. So James had only asked her because he had no date. Her chin lifted. Who cares? She was going to have a good time that night, regardless of anyone else. She smiled pleasantly at Molly, Leila, and Regina, totally ignoring Willow. "Will you help me with my makeup?" she asked.  
  
The three smiled, and swarmed around her.  
  
When they finished, she looked up, and was startled at what she saw. Her complexion had lightened imperceptibly until it was just the right shade. Her eyes were lined with a soft aqua, and her ears held her dolphin earrings that she had slipped into her dresser, and hadn't gotten out. Her slightly lipsticked lips burst into a smile.  
  
As she watched the others slip into their gowns at lightning speed, she slowly touched up the finishing touches and looked at the clock. Four forty-five. Perfect. "I'm going now," she called, and elegantly walked down the stairs. It wouldn't hurt to make James wait.  
  
~*~  
  
James gasped at the perfect sight he saw. His lips curved into a smile. He was going to enjoy this night.  
  
~*~  
  
Willow smiled charmingly at Crabbe. She searched the room for Goyle, and held his eyes for a moment, before looking to Lucius. He then found Severus, and wrinkled her nose in distaste to find him enamored with Regina. She had attempted to catch him for weeks, and had not. She must find out what spell Regina used.  
  
She looked across the room with triumph. The wallflowers looked at her jealously. The boys looked at her covetously. The girls looked at her resentfully. She was Queen of the Ball.  
  
Then she heard laughter. She frowned. She rarely heard laughter when she was around. She had grown up an unwanted child, and had not been meant for Gryffindor. Her parents wanted her to be in Slytherin, so she was contrary, and had insisted on being in Gryffindor. The hat saw no reason not to and let her have her way. Or so she thought, for she did not know how much her house would change her …  
  
She turned around curiously to see who would laugh while she was around, instead of looking at her with longing or envy. She gasped audibly. Resting in two comfortable chairs were James Potter and Lily Evans!  
  
She smiled evilly. She was going to break this union. She sauntered up, leaving Crabbe by the refreshment table. "Hi, James," she said, turning on her charm. She pouted. "Have you acquired another girl already? I was hoping you would dance with me."  
  
Lily smiled sweetly; countering Willow's every move. "Hi, Willow. I would like you to meet my date, James Potter."  
  
Willow sneered. "When'd you acquire him? By being the ***** you are? Let me guess. You went out and picked him up like a ****."  
  
James's eyes flashed. "Willow, I would like to introduce you to my date, Lily Evans. She is neither a ***** nor a ****. No use flinging out words that describe you so perfectly. For your information, I asked Lily this morning. Now, it would be wise for you to leave."  
  
"I don't think so," Willow growled. "Crabbe. Goyle. There's a pesky fly who's bothering me."  
  
The two hulking masses lumbered up. Lily smiled wryly. Her hand dived into a cleverly hidden pocket, and pulled out a wand. "Willow," she recited, the irony obvious in her voice. "Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, good for Charm work."  
  
Catching on, James pulled out his wand. "Mahogany. Eleven inches. Pliable. Excellent for Transfiguration"  
  
Their wands were held just out of the teachers' sights, but ready to fire at will.  
  
Willow pulled out her own wand. "Maple. Twelve inches. Bendy. Very good for obliterating," she said maliciously.  
  
Unperturbed, Lily smiled. "I will challenge you to a wizards' duel, legal, under the eyes of the teachers and the student body."  
  
(AN: Let's just say back then, Wizard Duels were allowed among students, as long as they were refereed by the teachers. After one particular nasty duel, maybe this one, maybe not, Wizard Duels are banned.)  
  
"I accept," Willow said calmly and coolly. And the conversation ended with Willow walking away. That was not a good thing. It had a symbolic meaning that she was surrendering the territory to Lily. In Hogwarts popularity terms, it meant that Lily had just raised a notch or two, while Willow had lowered. Willow did not like that, and it was going to change. She was submitting this time, but Lily was going to pay.  
  
(Explanation for those who care: In the wild, animals are very touch about territory, and that determines their status. This is a just a weird comparison between that and popularity.)  
  
James gave Lily a raised eyebrow. "Is the perfect prefect finally going to do something rash?"  
  
"It's not against the school rules or anything," Lily said. "And she deserves her due." She blushed. "Thanks for defending me."  
  
James smiled. "It was nothing." His face grew stern. "You do know that she is a formidable opponent, don't you?" he cautioned.  
  
Lily shrugged. "I do well in Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Professor Black lets me do extra credit work by reviewing stuff in the Restricted Section. By the way, is Professor Black in any way related to Sirius?"  
  
"A fifteenth cousin or something if he is," James shrugged. "Sirius doesn't really mention his family around us."  
  
Lily sighed. "I can't believe I challenged her to a duel."  
  
James smiled. "You'll definitely gain some popularity, that's for sure."  
  
"Is that all you think about?" she snapped. "If the teachers disapprove of this, I could be expelled."  
  
"You need to think of lighter subjects," James advised. "Be optimistic. How about a dance?"  
  
The last was asked so casually, Lily was shocked into choking on her butterbeer. When she calmed down, she smiled weakly. "I guess," she said tentatively.  
  
The Faeries were strumming a slow song, with blue globes of light illuminating their slightly revealing robes and strange, exotic instruments.  
  
As Lily hesitantly danced with James, she began to relax. Soon, they grew closer and closer. She laid her head on his chest, peacefully, while he smiled, sniffing her fresh lily fragrance. As the song continued, she looked up; her sea-colored eyes were filled with bliss, as were his emerald ones. As the song drew to a climax, their heads drew closer and closer together …  
  
"Sorry," Willow said fakely. She had bumped into James and was now in a very compromising situation with him.  
  
"Get off me, you idiot!" James hissed, as he pushed her off.  
  
Willow pouted. "A day ago, you would have killed to be in that position."  
  
"Well, I didn't know what kind of person you were," James snarled. "It would do you well to go!"  
  
Willow glared. She did not take kindly to losing one of her suitors. Click. Click. You could just hear her popularity level going down several more degrees. She stomped off haughtily with Crabbe.  
  
James turned around and stretched his hand out to Lily. "Let's go somewhere more private."  
  
Charmed, Lily accepted his arm and let him escort her out of the ballroom. "Where are we going to go?"  
  
"The Astronomy Tower?" James suggested.  
  
Lily firmly shook her head. The Astronomy Tower had an ahembadcough reputation, and she definitely did not want to be caught there with James Potter.  
  
James sighed. "Where else?" he asked practically.  
  
"The Gryffindor balcony," she suggested.  
  
He gave her a startled look. Few people knew about the Gryffindor balcony. It was led to through a secret passageway that he had thought only he and his friends knew about.  
  
"Sure you know about it," Lily said plaintively.  
  
He shook his head ruefully. "You'll never cease to amaze me."  
  
As they walked to the Gryffindor common room, they encountered no one. Everyone was at the ball. At the bottom of the winding stairs that split to the Boys' and Girls' dormitories, there was a cupboard type. Crouching into it, James tapped the fifteenth wooden slab from the top, the seventh barely discernible dot.  
  
"Lumos," Lily whispered, to help him.  
  
Shooting Lily a grateful look, James whispered, "Godric Gryffindor." Slowly, a small door swung open. They stooped into it, closed the passageway, and walked through the dark tunnel. Finally, they reached the end. This passageway led to a small balcony. It was white, with several marble benches embedded into it, and the railings were intricately carved with roses. As they entered into it, the pale moonlight fell on them. The stars twinkled brightly in the sky.  
  
As they admired the view, their hands fell each other. They sat down on the benches and began talking. As they spoke, they found more and more in common. As the moon shone, the night breeze grew chillier. Lily shivered.  
  
James draped his emerald green cloak over her. "It's getting cold," he whispered into her ear. "Let's go back."  
  
Mutely, she nodded. When they finally ended up in the common room, they realized how late it was. They whispered good-byes. Just as they were about to go to their separate dorms, James grasped her wrist, halting her temporarily. His eyes looked into her for a moment, before his lips dipped.  
  
Her first kiss was bliss. It was short, and sweet, and the taste of his mouth lingered on hers. She blushed a little, and smiled, before waving goodbye and walking upstairs.  
  
She almost dreamily fell into bed. She didn't notice the three pairs of eyes hungry for gossip or the one pair of eyes glaring with envy. It was when she was snuggled deep in bed, when Molly, unable to contain her excitement, led the other girls, curious, and envious, to sit on Lily's bed, when she noticed the melee.  
  
"What do you want? It's midnight," she hissed.  
  
"Exactly," Leila glared. "Details. Now."  
  
"What do you mean?" Lily asked.  
  
"What did you do?" Regina hissed. Everyone stared at her, startled, and she blushed.  
  
"We talked," Lily said dreamily. "And then he kissed me good night."  
  
"That's all?" Molly asked disappointedly.  
  
"What else did you expect?" Lily asked innocently. "Surely your minds weren't in any gutters?"  
  
The three solemnly shook their heads, while Willow only looked satisfied.  
  
"But," Lily continued, "gossips may have. Does anyone else know about me coming after curfew?"  
  
Four shakes of heads answered her question.  
  
"I would like that no one in this room tell about this."  
  
Regina, Leila, and Molly solemnly swore not to tell. After considering her options, Willow agreed as well. Telling would soil her reputation as well, because it would mean that she had officially lost a suitor.  
  
~*~  
  
James smiled at the electric shock the kiss had given him. As he approached his room, though, he became wary. If the Marauders were awake … He stepped into his room quietly. Thankfully, he noted that the beds were full of sleeping friends. He tiptoed into his bed, when all of a sudden … Pounce!  
  
James found himself surrounded by Marauders. Remus looked ill, but he wasn't due for a while. Sirius looked eager, his eyes glinting. Peter was actually smirking. James groaned inaudibly. "What do you want?" he asked warily.  
  
"Information," Sirius smiled.  
  
"Whatever are you talking about?" James asked sweetly.  
  
"What were you and Lily doing that kept you out until midnight?" Peter demanded.  
  
Remus smiled. "You weren't doing anything … naughty, were you?"  
  
James glared. "What I do is my business," he informed them curtly.  
  
"Not when you're part of the Marauders," Peter reminded him.  
  
"Or, we can always feed the rumor mill," Sirius hinted.  
  
James steamed. "If you whisper one word of this, I won't tell you," he swore.  
  
"I swear I won't tell anyone," Remus promised.  
  
"So do I," Peter said.  
  
Sirius's face fell, and he sighed heavily. "I promise," he said grudgingly.  
  
"First, we talked," James said. "That's about all."  
  
"You just talked?" Peter asked, disappointed.  
  
"Where?" Remus asked. "You weren't in the common room."  
  
"The Gryffindor balcony," James said nonchalantly.  
  
"And Perfect Prefect Lily didn't complain?" Sirius snickered, quieting only when James glared at him.  
  
"In fact, she suggested it," James said.  
  
"And then?" Remus asked.  
  
"And then we realized the time, and separated to our bedrooms," James said casually.  
  
"Is that all?" Sirius asked suspiciously.  
  
"Well…" James dragged out the suspense as long as he could. "We did kiss."  
  
"You kissed?" Peter asked. "Lily let you kiss her? The Untouchable Lily?"  
  
James glared. "Can I go to sleep now?"  
  
"You just kissed Lily Potter, who has never even gone on a date before in her life, and you want to go to sleep?" Sirius asked incredulously.  
  
James's only answer was to draw his covers over his head. The others sighed. They would get nothing out of him.  
  
~*~  
  
Lily woke up, tired. As she stretched, she dredged up memories from last night. She scowled. She was not looking forward to a Wizard's Duel. She noticed her tawny owl hooting. "What's wrong, Nimue?" she cooed.  
  
The owl's foot had a note attached to it.  
  
   
  
Lily Potter:  
  
The date and time of your Wizard's Duel with one Willow Rowan is as follows: December 26th, Thursday, 12:00 noon. Take care and have fun. Any serious injuries will be taken care of by Madam Pomfrey. If you wish to forfeit, a formal signed note is required. If you are seriously injured and may not participate, I will be informed.  
  
Yours truly,  
  
Professor Minerva McGonagall  
  
   
  
Lily groaned. The Wizard's duel was today … tough luck. She winced.  
  
~*~  
  
Lily nervously fingered her wand. No matter how you came down to it, she was great in Charms, but lacking a bit in Defense Against Dark Arts. She did make the gifted class and everything, but she wasn't as good with hands-on experience with monsters and cursing. In fact, sometimes, she had a tendency to blank out. Oh, she was definitely going to regret challenging Willow.  
  
She watched as Willow smirked at her. This was not going to be good. She held her breath and watched Professor McGonagall.  
  
"Begin!"  
  
And the battle began.  
  
   
  
A/N: So? Any reviews? 


	2. Fin

Lily vs. Willow … Who Will Win the James?  
  
A/N: First, I would like to apologize for my last chapter to Sapphire Dreams, thistlemeg, Time Twins, a girl who is in love with… and Myxie. I am updating this fanfic first because I made a huge mistake on my last chapter, and because it got the most reviews. First of all … I apologize for putting Lily Potter down on my last chapter. It was a complete and utter accident, and slip of the hand … I don't know what got into me. I assure you, I meant Lily Evans.  
  
Second, for Waxwing, I have all four books, but even though I've read and reread them all like fifteen times, I have not yet found a clear description of Lily, though I've tried searching again and again. I apologize if my description of her is wrong, however.  
  
Third, for Waxwing again, I apologize about the Molly/Arthur being older than James/Lily. The truth of the matter is, I had totally forgotten about that, and I sincerely apologize.  
  
Fourth, and last, for Waxwing, I did not know of Ms. Rowling's interview, but I guess I'm lucky I used Evans (most of the time anyways)  
  
Once again, sorry for all of the writers I offended with my mistake last chapter. My beta-reader is usually my cousin, but I suddenly had this urge to post up all of the fanfics I had been working on, so I didn't get her to edit it. Sorry.  
  
Oh, and the font might have been weird, 'cause I accidentally made a mistake when I posted it up, and I changed it to something else and the whole thing appeared in symbols, or something similar, and I was relieved when I finally changed it back to normal font.  
  
Lily awoke to a dizzy sensation, and it was a while before she could orient herself enough to realize that she was in the Hospital Wing. She cast a gaze around the room, and her eyes fell on a very fatigued and black and blue Willow.  
  
At first, she had no clue why she or Willow was there but after a while, her memory surged back. She winced. The memory of the battle was fresh. She had won of course, but … the price was great. She looked once more at Willow, whose eyes were bound with bandages.  
  
At this moment, Madam Pomfrey entered. Her face was serious, and Lily gulped. She walked over and noted that her patient was awake.  
  
"How is it?" Lily asked in a small voice.  
  
Madam Pomfrey looked at her. She finally spoke. "I was able to heal all of your broken bones, but your nervous system was trickier. You might be able to walk properly in a couple of years … you might not. As for Willow, she's permanently blind and disfigured."  
  
Lily closed her eyes, and a tear leaked out. She hadn't meant for it to go that far. She remembered how it had happened …  
  
Willow had shot out a particular lethal spell at her, which she just barely managed to deflect around her face. Unfortunately, part of it bounced off to her hips, which now meant possible permanent paralysis, and part of the blast had deflected into Willow's eyes, because she wasn't prepared.  
  
Madam Pomfrey gave her patient a tonic, before leaving. "Is there anything else you wanted?" she asked, just before stepping out of the door.  
  
Lily meekly shook her head. She watched the door sadly as Madam Pomfrey left. Suddenly, James's head, Sirius's head, Peter's head, and Remus's head appeared in front of her eyes. She blinked twice, doubting her vision, before opening her mouth to scream, stopped only by the charm Sirius had cast on her. She scowled.  
  
"What are you four doing here and how did you get here?" she hissed.  
  
Sirius smiled sweetly and said airily, "Oh, you have no idea how much people don't pay attention to you when you've got an Invisibility Cloak on."  
  
Lily smiled, impressed. "You have an Invisibility Cloak? Impressive. But that still doesn't explain what you're doing here." She glared again for good measure.  
  
"We wanted to see how you were doing," Remus explained.  
  
James coughed. "Actually, ~I~ wanted to see how you were doing. ~They~ insisted on tagging along, even though the Invisibility Cloak belongs to ~me~ and ~I~ am your boyfriend."  
  
There was a silence.  
  
Lily glared. "Since when were you my boyfriend?" she asked icily.  
  
James gulped. "It was a slip of the tongue," he lied glibly.  
  
"So, even though we went to the Christmas Ball together, and I fought a duel for you, and I probably will never walk again, we still don't count as going out?" she asked in that low deadly voice that females always used when they were so mad, they couldn't even scream.  
  
James glanced nervously at his friends, whom were all backing away, holding up their hands. "You're the one that got yourself in trouble. Don't look to us," Peter stated vehemently, the others echoing his sentiments.  
  
James gulped. "I didn't mean it that way. I just thought that since you've never been asked out before, you would …" he trailed off at the menacing glare Lily gave him.  
  
Sirius dryly noted, "Maybe you should just keep your mouth shut and worry about your life now, and your relationship later."  
  
"Good point," he gulped. Suddenly, he remembered something. "You can never walk again?"  
  
Lily shrunk back down to her normal size. "Maybe I'm exaggerating a little," she admitted. "Madam Pomfrey says I'll probably regain use of them in a couple of years." Her voice was small.  
  
"Probably?" James asked gently. "Couple of years?"  
  
Lily smiled weakly. "It's okay."  
  
The two stared at each other for a moment, before James smiled at his now-official girlfriend. His head dipped down for a sweet, somewhat chaste, kiss (seeing as they were in front of the other Marauders and all) before waving whispering, "Good night" and leaving.  
  
As he strode out the door sharing his Invisibility Cloak with the other Marauders and ignoring their jibes, he paused one last night to look at his girlfriend, before gently closing the door.  
  
~*~  
  
When Lily woke up again, it was in the morning. No potions were fogging up her mind, and she analyzed everything with a new lucidity. Last night, it had been well and good, but she had just been a little bit tipsy from the painkilling potions. Today, she was faced with what happened like a slap in the face.  
  
Her eyes drifted over to the blind, disfigured Willow. She was still sleeping, but she was tossing and turning, as if in pain.  
  
Then, Lily's eyes turned to her paralyzed legs, and she almost broke down before reminding herself that they would probably get better soon. As she gazed around her, Willow sat up. Lily visibly winced.  
  
At this moment, Madam Pomfrey came in. She looked around her for a moment, before nodding, and bringing out the food they were to eat.  
  
"What's wrong?" Willow's voice asked suddenly. "Why are there bandages on my eyes?"  
  
Madam Pomfrey said calmly, "Don't you remember the conversation we had last night? If you don't, it's all right. Trauma and shock can do that to you, as well as the particularly nasty blast you received."  
  
Willow's usually perfect complexion paled. Her hand reached up to touch her scar, and then her bandaged eyes. Then, before Madam Pomfrey could stop her, she ripped off the bandages. She just stared ahead blankly for a couple of seconds, and Lily hoped with all her heart that by some miracle, she had regained her eyesight, when she screamed with terror. It was the terror of realizing her future, of realizing that she would never see again.  
  
Lily turned her face away and wept as Willow did. Tears streamed down her cheek, as she fully realized that she, who had never before harmed a fly, had just taken away Willow Rowan's eyesight.  
  
~*~  
  
After a period of time, Lily found something akin to "inner peace." Her parents had come to see her, to make sure she was all right. Petunia, of course, had vouched to stay with her fiancé, Vernon Dursley. They had resolved certain issues, and Lily now had something similar to a wheelchair, but powered by magic, that took her around.  
  
The school had officially banned Wizard Duels. After this particular vicious one with injuries impossible to injure, Hogwarts no longer had the Wizard Duels it used to be famous. Soon, Wizard Duels faded into a legend; something you knew took place, but was no longer real to you, much like the Tri-Wizard Tournament.  
  
She never got to truly apologize to Willow. After her blindness had struck her, her parents had taken her away. It was then Lily learned that Willow's parents were actually Death Eaters, part of the horrible gang that was beginning to terrify the world.  
  
Her relation with James Potter had grown. They had become very close, and were very seriously considering more than dating steadily. She had found an emotion in her heart that she believed to be love. She hoped with all her might that it was. She had heard all about love, and did not want it to be a mistake.  
  
But there was small thing that did not make her life perfect. All though Sixth Year was over, and she was returning home, she still had no even recovered some use of her legs yet. She couldn't even move her little toe, much less do anything close to walking. She was prepared to spend the rest of her life as a cripple.  
  
Lily Evans brushed out her chestnut brown hair. (I don't care if she actually has red hair … I like her better with brown hair.) Her green-blue eyes were thoughtful as they looked out beneath sooty lashes. Being confined to a wheelchair had changed her. She still exercised constantly so her legs wouldn't wither away into nothing like some of the legs of Muggle people in wheelchairs, but she had already given up the notion of walking.  
  
In fact, she had learned to accept being paralyzed to some degree. She still yearned to walk and use her legs again, but her magical wheelchair, though it didn't have some of the handier capabilities of a technological one, was bewitched to go as narrow as possible when she needed to go between things, and to go smoothly over gravel roads, etc. She smiled. It was really all thanks to Molly, who had convinced her boyfriend to build the wheelchair.  
  
In fact, the only real inconvenience about the magical wheelchair was that whenever Petunia and she got into shouting matches, Petunia had a new, effective insult to yell.  
  
Suddenly, a tawny owl named Polgara, from her favorite books by David Eddings, (so what if it wasn't published back then) fluttered in with a letter. She absent-mindedly reached out for it, and read it. What she read found her in shock.  
  
Lily,  
  
I know that you were friends with Regina Jorkins, and that you don't get the Daily Prophet, so I thought you might like to know …Death Eaters killed her yesterday. She was home alone, since Bertha was out gathering gossip, and the Death Eaters attacked. When they found only her there, they … they killed her.  
  
Can you believe that Severus is actually planning to hunt them up and kill them with his bare hands? According to Sirius, who is (yuck) Severus's step-cousin, several times removed, Severus is very close to Apparating there … even though he doesn't know how to Apparate yet.  
  
If you want, I'm sure your parents will allow you to go the funeral on Saturday. Don't cry to hard.  
  
Your love,  
  
1 James  
  
Lily gasped with pain. Regina? Sweet as cinnamon Regina was dead? Her mind reeling with shock, she unconsciously stood up, and ran to her draw, scrawled a note, sent it with Polgara, and ran to her bed, before crying. She had not cried so severely since the night after the duel.  
  
She turned her head. Her mother and father had entered the room. They were shocked. Lily had regained the use of her legs.  
  
Lily turned away. ~At what cost? I can walk again … but Regina will never live again~  
  
"Is something wrong, dear?" Mrs. Evans asked softly.  
  
Lily looked up. "May I have permission to go to Hogwarts on Saturday?" she asked in a soft voice. "The Death Eaters … they got Regina."  
  
Shooing her husband out of the room, Mrs. Evans sat down with her child, and let her cry it out.  
  
~*~  
  
"Don't worry Regina. I shall take revenge on the Death Eaters for you, my love. I was once one of them, but now, I shall risk my life so they may die. I love you, Regina. I really do. And because of you, I'm going to risk my life every single day so the Aurors can catch the Death Eaters so they can never kill again. Don't worry, my love. I will take revenge for you."  
  
~*~  
  
Lily Evans smiled sadly around her. She would be graduating from Seventh Year soon. She had regained her ability to walk, and now, life was almost back to normal for her. Regina's death still lingered in the air. Bertha had become particularly vicious with her gossip lately, taking out her frustrations on other people. Severus had just closed up … no one knew why.  
  
She looked at the small ring on her finger. Although she was only 17, James had proposed to her. Of course, it had startled her, but then, he had graduated from Hogwarts last year, and with all his Auror work, he undoubtedly had enough money to buy the engagement ring. (Just a thought … I think it's sweeter if James is one year older than her.)  
  
She surveyed her rooms one last time. "I'll miss you, Hogwarts," she whispered. "Some of my best … and worst years were spent here."  
  
Suddenly, Polgara flew in through the doorway. Tied to her leg was a small message.  
  
"Who's this from, Polgara?" Lily asked absent-mindedly. "Hmm? The Paris School of Seers and Seeresses?" Out of her hands, slipped a small envelope.  
  
Lily:  
  
I don't know if you remember me, but its Willow. First, I know that what happened in Sixth Year wasn't your fault. If anything, it was mine. I would like to thank you for taking away my eyesight, however strange that might sound. I have recently discovered that I have the seers' ability. I can foretell the future.  
  
Without you, I would never have known, you know. You've probably heard by now that my parents were Death Eaters. Well, after I quit Hogwarts, I ran away. Did you know that before the Duel, they had been planning on ~sacrificing~ me to the Dark Lord … for his own personal plaything. So if you hadn't disfigured me, who knows what life I would be living?  
  
Anyways, I'm writing you because I had a vision about you. I know you still feel guilty … don't. You did me a favor, and it was in self- defense. As for your future … I congratulate on you with James. Yours won't be an easy future, but it's a happy one following true love. You are a special lady, Lily.  
  
Yours truly,  
  
2 Seeress Weeping Willow (Its my official nickname as a seer now, corny as it may seem)  
  
Lily smiled. Life was good.  
  
~*~  
  
"Sweet little Harry," Lily murmured at her young son, who had just emerged from her body.  
  
"Harry?" James asked, raising his eyebrow. "I thought we had agreed on Lilac if he was a girl and Jimmy if he was a boy."  
  
Lily glared at her husband. "I was the one who had to undergo 12 hours of pain so I get to name him," she said in that low, deadly voice he had known to fear. "The baby's name is Harry."  
  
"Harry it is. Harry it is," James gulped nervously.  
  
"I love you," Lily murmured.  
  
"I love you, too," James answered.  
  
Meanwhile, in the background, as usual, Remus and Sirius were snickering. Lately, Peter had tended towards sickness, and couldn't accompany them on their late-night ventures with Remus anymore. Of course, after the marriage, James had told Lily Remus's secret (with his permission) after being accused of adultery when sneaking off to him for the sixth full moon in a row.  
  
"He'll never learn," Remus said, mock-sadly.  
  
"Yes," Sirius pretended to sigh. "He'll be bullied by Lily for the rest of his life."  
  
Neither noticed the meaningful glares from Lily and James before it was too late.  
  
The End.  
  
This ends MY story of how Lily and James got together … with very incorrect information. Review or flame me if you wish. Just remember … if you say you hate, you must say why. ~Sighs blissfully~ Doing Lily/James fics has one advantage. I can't make them out-of-character, because you don't know what their characters are! ~Dances around with glee~ 


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